NFL Week 1 Picks: Predicting the Winner and Final Scores for All Season Openers
Now the games count. All 32 teams start a new journey, looking to open the 2018 regular season with a win.
We'll quickly find out if the Philadelphia Eagles have some Super Bowl shine left, or will the Atlanta Falcons claim an early notable victory over the champions on Thursday Night Football?
The Monday Night Football double-header will showcase rookie quarterback Sam Darnold under center for the New York Jets against first-time head coach Matt Patricia and the Detroit Lions. Jon Gruden returns to the sideline for the Oakland Raiders to face a Los Angeles Rams team that added multiple high-profile names to the roster in the offseason.
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Projecting Every NFL Team's Starting Lineup 🔮
Let's go through the winners and losers for all 16 games and break down a few intriguing matchups.
Week 1 Picks
Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles: Falcons 27-20
Jacksonville Jaguars at New York Giants: Jaguars 23-20
Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens: Ravens 30-3
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints: 35-10
Houston Texans at New England Patriots: Texans 24-21
San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings: Vikings 28-23
Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins: Dolphins 20-17
Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts: Bengals 27-20
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns: Steelers 38-14
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers: Chargers 27-23
Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos: Broncos 23-21
Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers: Panthers 24-20
Washington Redskins at Arizona Cardinals: Cardinals 28-24
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers: Packers 24-17
New York Jets at Detroit Lions: Lions 27-16
Los Angeles Rams at Oakland Raiders: Rams 31-17
Falcons Avenge Playoff Loss to Eagles on Thursday Night Football
The Eagles sent the Falcons to an early postseason exit in the NFC divisional round last term. Nonetheless, Atlanta goes into the 2018 season with its roster core in place and a good chance at returning to the playoffs.
Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian will look to elevate the offense after ranking 15th in scoring last year. Another offseason with his key players should help the unit progress, specifically when venturing into the red zone.
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles didn't look sharp during the preseason. He completed 16-of-26 passes for 171 yards and two interceptions in two outings. The Super Bowl LII MVP won't have his top wide receiver option Alshon Jeffery, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. He's still recovering from shoulder surgery.
Foles could feel pressure in the pocket with Vic Beasley moving back to defensive end opposite Takkarist McKinley. The Falcons will head to Lincoln Financial Field to prove a point and knock off the champions.
Minnesota Vikings Stifle Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo takes his undefeated streak (7-0) to U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota to face his toughest defensive challenge. He led a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars' vaunted unit in Week 16 last year, but the 26-year-old will square off against the No. 1 defense from 2017.
The Vikings will make it difficult for Garoppolo on their turf. The 49ers also lost starting running back Jerick McKinnon for the season with an ACL tear. Alfred Morris and Matt Breida have enough to fill the void for the long term, but Minnesota's stout front seven has the talent to consistently restrict the rushing lanes, forcing the 49ers to test a stingy secondary.
We'll find out about cornerback Richard Sherman's ability to maintain his play at a high level against the Vikings' new-look passing attack featuring quarterback Kirk Cousins. The 30-year-old signal-caller has formed an immediate bond with wide receiver Stefon Diggs, which is a connection to watch this year.
The 49ers struggled to generate a pass rush last season, racking up 30 sacks, which ranked 26th in the league. Until defensive coordinator Robert Saleh figures out how to unlock his rushers on the defensive line, San Francisco's defense will struggle against accurate quarterbacks. Cousins has completed 66 percent of his passes over a six-year career.
Vikings win a tight game over the 49ers.
Detroit Lions Hand Sam Darnold First Regular-Season Loss
New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold won the starting job during the preseason, and he'll match up against a team looking to tighten up on the defensive side of the ball.
Patricia spent six seasons as the New England Patriots defensive coordinator, and it's up to him to improve the Detroit Lions unit that ranked 21st in points surrendered and 27th in yards allowed in 2017. The group has some standout players in defensive end Ezekiel Ansah coming off a 12-sack season and cornerback Darius Slay who logged eight interceptions last year.
The Lions should have enough on defense to give Darnold a rough welcome to the NFL. Quarterback Matthew Stafford could have ample time to throw because of the Jets' lack of quality pass-rushers on the edge. Despite fielding a promising young secondary, Gang Green will give up chunk yardage to Detroit's aerial attack.
Expect Darnold to go through his rookie growing pains. He'll encounter his first bump in the road in Detroit. Patricia will earn his first win as a head coach.
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